Planting machine



July 15, 1941.

E. A. DouBET `2,248,922

PLANTING MACHINE .2 sheets-Sheet 1 v ZA/f4 4. maan BY July 15, 1941. E. A'. DOUBET 241x922 v PLANTING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet `2 INVENTOR f /Mf/e ,4. 2200557' BY W,

`the-boxes .and .toactuatetthe other, thus-shutting .taneous .and may .be accomplished withoutA inter-` `a -part hereof fbut^serve;merely .to illustrate one `manner'in which the obj ectsofthe inventionmay be attained without intendinginany manner to limit theinventionf'to the particular details illustrated.

'une `2--2 of Figure 1.

Patented July 15, 1941 UNI-Teen #errar-fes @PATE-:Nr oFF-ict;

irnANTIN'G MACHINE .'lilmerameubet, Hannacity, '111.

Application June-10, 1940, Serial '"No.' 339,656

-e-claims. gol. 11i-e5) 'This invention relates to cornplanters, .an'd

aims vto provide variousA time saving and labor savingimprovements 'for the use of such `machines for planting parentand inbred.. corn for the purpose of crossing the corn to raisehybiid seed-corn, Vas set forth below When .raising hybrid seed corn,.twokinds of corn seeds ,are used, andin using jplanters of '..the presenttype `provided'vvith. a singleplanterbox toeach runv, ner, the seed must be changed in lthe`boxes,.for'i seed raisers desireto plant four rows of .parent `seed to one row ofinbred seed. The consequently necessary 'changing` of seedlin'the v'planter boxes takes up asmuch asffty percent ofthe planting time expended. "'15 'This invention aims to .provide two .planter boxes to therunner, so'thatchanging of .theseed in theboxes is eliminated with.the.consequent saving of time and labor, as one=type of-seed is placed in one box andthe othertypein the other box. Means `is provided, .connected vvith- -a` lever at ready access to the operatorfwhereby a change of seed being planted .is.accomplished bythe mere operationv of :this leverto disconnect one of ol'thedroppingofseeds from-therst box and starting -the dropping of seeds :from the second. The operationof-.the lever isrpracticallyfinstanruption o'f Athe movement. of the vehicle.

A further object.oftherinventionis the provision ,of ,adjustableemeansor varyingathe number .ofseeds dropped per unit of vdistanceftraveled-by interchanging or varyingthe sizeof gearsiorminga ,partthereoi and .furthermore to provide`-5 means 'for releasablyand-.positively locking the lever and its associated .parts .in position that the operation of the boxes can not v-be :interchanged excepting upon positive movement of the lever .by the operator.

The aboveand=other-objects willbecome apfparent in lthedescription below, -reference Ybeing hadto the accompanying drawingswhich form Referringlbriefly-to the Vdrawings, l 1750 Figure 1 is a plan view-of the jplanter,'which is adapted to be hitchedto a'tractor or drawn by "Figure 2is a cross-sectional view taken onthe Figure l3 isa cross-sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. y

'Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View` taken on the 'lmet-'.4 of Figure 3.

'Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view takenon'the line-55 of Figure 3.` Figure 6 is a cross-sectionalview taken on the line G-Joi Figure 3.

Referring in detailv to the drawings,rthe n mer'alI II indicates the axleo'r shaft of a planting machine to Which'the wheels I I are xed, so that the `axle i-s rotated bythe wheels when the Vehicle is'injmotion. The cross frame I2.of the planter is supported at the rear by a pair of spaced beams I3 through which the axle I0 passes rotatably, and at the front by the tongue I4, by means .of which the vehicle'is drawn. Theirame I2/cornprisesI aipair of spaced transverse beamsIY and I6, joined at their ends by end pieces-I1. Y p

A horizontal plate I8 substantiallybridges the `space between thejtransverse'beams I5 and I6,

andisl secured by bolts 2I'IA to the rearbeam I5 through the'medium vof a depending apron I9 integral with the plate I8. A vertical slot 2I.is formedin theV apron I9, and thebolt'ZIl. passes therethrough; thus, the apron and consequently -the plate I8 may vbe'raised .or'lowered Within the `range permittedbyethe length of these slots, .with

respect to the frame I2. l

A transverse shaft 22,. square in cross-section,

is'rotatably supported inthe end piecesJJ of. the

frame I2, andis actuated by. a chain 23 in mesh with .a cog 24 thereonand witha cog 25 onthe axle I0.

described andfurther to be descrbedbelow,.are identical to each other, thedetailed descriptionis .applied to but one such unit.

On the plate I8.a pair .ofv seed boxes 25 and 2'I are mountedin transversely spacedrelation, and are rotatably.supportedon-stub shaftsZB and V29, square in Vcross-section, extending upward Ifrom vbevel gears 30'and SI. s Theintermediate portions vof thefstubshaftsl and ,29 Iare cylindrical,

. and have collars 32 thereon .which rest rotatably on the plate I3. The -seed boxes have'bosses 33 `on theirbottoms-in Whichthe collarse32 register,

theopening.through-the bottom of thebox, or

.the top of the Aboss 33, .being square so that,=al .though-.theymaybereadily lifted up oithe plate ..I.8,..they.arev.rotated by vthe -stub'shafts -when they rest on the..plate. .Eachseed boxhas-anopening .34 positioned-eccentrically, through itsgbottom,

and for each box there is a similarly-positioned Itj is to be noted that thereare two fplates I6, oneon each side of the frameV I2and AasY these` plates and their associated. parts above opening 35 through the plate I8, and further, a similarly positioned opening 36 through the gear 38 or 3|. Since the gear 30 and the box 26, as well as the gear 3| and its box 21, turn synchronously, it is apparent that their openings 36 and 34 are always in vertical alignment, and when these openings become aligned with the plate opening 35, there will be a clear vertical passage through the box, plate and gear, as shown in Figure 2.

The apron I9 forms the rear wall of a depending substantially funnel-shaped runner which is substantially rectangular in horizontal crosssection, and has its front wall at 31 and its side walls at 38 and 39, the runner being generally indicated by the numeral 48. Integral with the front wall 31 of the runner and projecting forward therefrom is the plow or furrower 4|. At its forward end the member 4| is joined by a link 42 with an ear 43 on the plate I8. One such runner 48 is positioned under each pair of boxes 26 and 21.

Mounted slidably on the shaft 22, are a pair of oppositely disposed clutches 44 and 45, provided with bevel pinions 46 and 41, respectively, which have square openings, as shownj the pinion 45 being adapted to mesh with the gear 38, and the pinion 41 with the gear 3|. The clutch 44 is slid back and forth by an arm 58 pivoted at 5| to the frame. The clutch 45 is operated by an arm 48 similarly pivoted at 49. The arms 48 and 58 are always mutually parallel, so that as one clutch is slid to engage its pinion with the adjacent gear, the other clutchautomatically and simultaneously is slid to disengage its pinion from its adjacent gear; thus, either one or the other of the two seed boxes 26 and 21 may be set to rotate selectively, but both cannot rotate simultaneously, and one starts to rotate the moment the other has stopped.

At their free ends, the clutch arms 48 and 58 are pivoted to a rod 52 `which at one end is pivoted to a bell crank 53. The other end of the bell crank is pivoted in the end of a rod 54 provided with a handle and situated close to the drivers seat 55. The frame I2 is provided with ears 51, to which the clutch arms 58 are pivoted to the frame and which themselves form integral parts of notched plates 58 bolted to the frame beam I 5, as shown in Figure 5. An arcuate concentric slot 58 in the plate 58 has a pin 59, projectingfrom the arm 58, riding therein. Coiled springs 68 tend to keep the arm 58 close against the plate 56. The upper surface of the plate is provided with a plurality of radial notches 6|, in any one of which a tongue 62 on the underside of the arm 58 may yieldably register by virtue of the tension of the springs 68. When in neutral position, as shown in Figure 1, the levers 54 are ready to be operated by either pushing or pulling, and in this position the arms 58, which here also serve as dials, are positioned midway of the slots 58. When one of the rods 54, say, for example, the right-hand rod 54, is pushed forward by the driver, the front ends of the clutch arms 48 and 58 on that side are swung lto the right,rthereby engaging the pinion 46 with the gear 38 and rotating box 21; the arm, 58 will have been swung toward the right-hand end of the slot 58y and the position of the arm D in the slot 58 will be indicated by the number, not shown, marked on that notch. The operator can always tell that the proper engagement between pinion and gear has been made by noting that the arm .58 is in the proper notch on the dial. Then. when he wishes to bring box 21 to a stop and start box 26, he pulls the rod 54 back until the pinion 46 is disengaged from the gear 38 and the pinion 41 is engaged with the gear 3|, and again the new position of the arm 58 in the slot 58 will be 0bservable by the number of the notch at which it has stopped. Once graduated and calibrated, the operator will remember the proper notch number for each operating position of the levers.

The size of the clutch pinion 41 determines the number of grains or seeds planted per unit of length traveled; to vary this number, the pinions 41 and 46 are replaced by smaller or larger ones; if by smaller, the number of seeds per unit of travel is reduced, and vice versa.

The complete operation of the device is now believed apparent. The two units shown, one on each side of the frame, each comprising two seed boxes 26 and 21 and all their associated and operating parts including one rod 54, are mere duplications of each other and each is operated individually. If desired, only one such set or unit may be provided instead of the two units shown, or any number more than the two shown may be provided.

Assuming that the boxes 21 contain one kind ofgrain and the boxes 26 another kind, and the device is proceeding along its way dropping or planting seeds from the boxes 21, both rods 54 will be in pushed-forward-position, as is that shown in Figure 3. Thus, pinions 41 will be running idle and pinions .46 will be engaged with their gears 30. Boxes 21 will thus be rotating, and once during each rotation the openings 34-35-36 will become aligned and a seed will fall into the runner 48. and out of the same into the furrow left behind the member 4|. When it is desired to change the kinds of seeds in the two furrows, both rods are pulled back into the positions previously mentioned,'disengaging the pinions 46V and engaging the pinions 41 with their gears 3|, thus stopping the boxes 21 and starting rotation of the boxes 26.

It is apparent from the above, and without requiring further emphasis, that the improvements providedresult in a corn planter which eiiiciently plants two kinds of seed exactly in the order and proportion desired, with a substantial saving in both time and labor, in that it is unnecessary to stop to replace a seed box with another klnd of seed. 'I'he planting is carried on as a continuous operation once the boxes have each been filled with the proper seed, and the operator need not stop his vehicle until his job is done or until all his seed boxes are empty.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be; made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a planter comprising a frame, a shaft supported in said frame and having traction wheels rigid thereon, a pair of spaced seed boxes rotatably mounted on said frame, each of said boxes having an opening through the bottom thereof off-set from the center, horizontal bevel gears mounted on said frame and each having one of said boxes rigidly secured thereto to rotate synchronously therewith, each of said gears having an opening therethrough in alignment with said box opening, said frame having rtwo openings therethrough, one for each of said boxes, eaclrof said frame openings being positioned in the orbit of its adjacent box opening, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame,Y means 'connecting said first-named and second-named shafts for rotating the latter upon rotation of said wheels, bevel pinions loosely mounted on said second-named shaft, said second-named shaft being square in cross-section and said bevel pinions having square openings ltherethrough through which said shaft passes, and means for alternately engaging one of said pinions with one of said gears and simultaneously disengaging the other of said pinions from the other of said gears.

2. In a planter having a pair of rotatable seed boxes thereon provided with means for dropping seeds therefrom at spaced intervals during the travel of the planter, means connected with the wheels of the planter for rotating said boxes, and means for alternately engaging said rotating means with either of said boxes and simultaneously disengaging the same from the other.

3. In a, planter having a pair of seed boxes rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating said boxes during travel of the planter, means for dropping seeds from said boxes at spaced intervals during said travel, and means for alternately disengaging said rotating means from one of said boxes and engaging the same with the other of said boxes.

4. In a planter having a pair of seed boxes rotatably mounted thereon, rotating means for said boxes connected with the planter Wheels and actuated thereby during travel of the planter, means for dropping seeds from the boxes at intervals during the rotation thereof, and means for alternately disengaging said rotating means 5. In a planter comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted in said frame and having rigid Wheels thereon supporting said frame, a plate secured to said frame and having a runner thereunder, a pair of seed boxes rotatably mounted on said plate above said runner, rotating means actuated by said axle and adapted to rotate said boxes, openings in boxes and said plate adapted to be aligned once during each rotation of said boxes to drop a seed into said runner, and means for alternately disengaging said rotating means from one of said boxes and simultaneously engaging the same With the other of said boxes.

6. In a planter comprising a frame, an axle rotatably mounted therein and having traction wheels rigid thereon, a plate mounted horizontally on said frame andhaving openingstherethrough, each of said boxes having a horizontal gear rigid .therewith and positioned under said plate, openings in the bottoms of said boxes, openings through said gears, said openings through each box and its gear being'in vertical alignment, said plate openings lying in the orbits of said box and gear openings, rotating means connected with and operated by said axle, and means for alternately connecting said rotating means with one of said gears and simultaneously disconnecting the same from the other of said gears.

ELMER A. DOUBET. 

